What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

“Do not try any of this at home. The author of this book is an Internet cartoonist, not a health or safety expert. He likes it when things catch fire or explode, which means he does not have your best interests in mind. The publisher and the author disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects resulting, directly or indirectly, from information contained in this book.”

The book wastes no time establishing itself as a humorous look at all scientific subjects. By styling himself as a cartoonist rather than a physicist, the author clarifies he’s not giving answers as pronouncements from on high but as smart, funny, correct responses to interesting questions.

“Nearly everyone would die. Then things would get interesting.”

For scientists, the most fascinating aspects of physics often involve lethal things. Throughout the book, examples meant to illustrate the immense size of the possible usually result in massive die-offs of humanity. It can be awkward to discuss with enthusiasm phenomena that would kill most people; thus, the author pokes fun at himself. At the same time, he invites readers with fearless senses of humor to join him in exploring the extremely unusual possibilities, some of them grimly funny, in our universe.

“Eventually, humans will die out. Nobody knows when, but nothing lives forever. Maybe we’ll spread to the stars and last for billions or trillions of years. Maybe civilization will collapse, we’ll all succumb to disease and famine, and the last of us will be eaten by cats. Maybe we’ll all be killed by nanobots hours after you read this sentence. There’s no way to know.”

The author treats every topic, even humanity’s possible extinction, with a dose of humor. It’s a detached, bird’s-eye view of a world whose features may sometimes appear horrifying but always are interesting. This fascination with facts of all kinds is a characteristic of the scientific mind. A cool head and an occasional sardonic chuckle perhaps make for the best attitude to bring along when exploring a universe filled with both good and bad attributes.